Gate valve



June 20, `1944. p. E. MoMuRRY 2,351,775

GATE VALVE `:um: uw 1s, 1942 2 Shun-snm 1" nwmon BY* Egal/WWW 4 TNEK June 20, 1944. P. E. MCMURRY 2,351,775

` GATE VALVE Filed May 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5. c/Vz/f/:y

- 47m/MEV l l Patented June `20, 1944 ulsuriap-` rSTATES PATENT: AOFFICE GATE vALvE Paul E. McMurry, St. Joseph, Mo., assignor to 1irty per cent to Albert F. Walter, St. Joseph,

Application May 15, 1942, Serial No. 443,063 6 Claims. ((1272-54) My invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements ingate valves and more particularly to a gate valve that may be mounted in a pipeline and that will relieve excessive pressures in the line when the valve is closed.

One application of a valve embodying my invention is in a gasoline delivery line leading from la gasoline storage tank to a loading dock. When gasoline is transferred from a storage tank to a.

truck, it `passes through an exposed 'pipe line where pressures exist of approximately two to ten pounds per square inch. After the truck has f been iilled, two gate valves in the pipe line are closed. One valve is at the discharge end of the line and the other is adjacent the storage tank.`

The valve adjacent the tank is closed so that a leak in the pipe line will not permit all of the gasoline to drain `from `the storage tank.

After the two valves are closed, a quantity of gasoline ls 'trapped in the pipe line between the valves.` During the day, `the sun heats 4the trapped gasoline and causes pressure to build up in the line. I have found this pressure to be approximately 75 pounds per degree rise in the I temperature of the gasoline. When the pressure becomes suiiiciently high, one of the valves usually fails.

, Fluid in the line enters the bonnets of the gate valves when the valves lare open. Upon closing of the valves, this fluid is trappedin the bonnets. If the bonnet is exposed to the sun, ex-

pansion of the trapped fiuid frequently cracks either the bonnet or the valve body.

Arr important object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a gate valve that will form a i fluid-tightseal ina delivery line, which includes a gate disk uniquely constructed to relieve pressure in all parts of the valve and in the delivery line where expansion of trapped fiuids might `otherwise cause the valve to fail.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts `throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is an elevationalview illustrating the manner in which a. valveembcdying my invention is incorporated in apipe for the delivery of motor fuel from a tank toa truck loading-dock,

f Fig.` 4 is'a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFlgnsr` V. V I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified type of gate disk,

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the gate disk taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is an inside face view of one half ofthe gateshown in Fig.` 6,

Fig. 8 is an inside face view of the other half of the gate shown at therightin Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is an edge elevational view of the valve gate shown in Figs. 5to 8 inclusive, and

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of still another modification of a valve gate, embodying my invention.

` Referring now to Figs. l through 4, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment, the numeral I5 designates a storage tank for gasoline. Gasoline fiows from the tank I5 through a delivery `storage tank I5 may be a considerable distance from the loading dock, itis generally considered good practice` to also close gate valve I9 so that a'leak in the delivery line IB will not drain all i of the gasoline from the storagetank. The delivery line is usually uninsulated and exposed to variations in temperature. Pressure builds up in the delivery line between valves I8 and I9 due to expansion of the trapped `iiuidcausedby a rise in temperature. Valve' I9 is constructed to relieve this pressure by permitting iluid in `the delivery line to discharge back into the storage tank. 'I'here is little changeiof temperature in i the fluid within storagetank l5 becauseof the Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thevalve showing the same connected toa fragmentary portion of the `pipe line,` `parts of the'valve being broken away for clearness of illustration,

` I Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a gate disk showing my pressure relief `means mounted Vtherein so as to lrelieve pressure in the line and in the valve bonnet, i

large dimensions of the tank and the-large quantity of fluid therein.

Gate valve I9'is shown Ion an enlarged scale in Fig.v 2. All parts of the valve, except lthe gate disk 20 are conventional. A valve body 2I is surmounted by a bonnet 22 and the bonnet is closed by a cap 23. `A screw threaded valve stem 24 .manually `rotated `by hand wheel 25 'extends through cap 23 and bonnet 22 and is detachably connected tothe valve disk 2U. A stuilng nut threaded on cap 23 provides a fluid tight connection between the `cal) and valve stem. The lower end of valve stem 24 has an enlarged annular collar24a which fits loosely within the recess 20a of the gate disk 20. Rotation of hand wheel 25 in one direction raises the gate disk 20 of pockets SEC are upwardly convergent.

.outwardly against their seats.` and 36h have collars Sd which loosely embracev into the bonnet land rotation of hand wheel 2.5 in the opposite direction lowers the gate disk Ato the seated position shown in Fig. 2.

A passage 20c is drilled at an angle from recess 20a, into the relatively thick portion 20h of the disk, shown in Fig. 2. A lateral duct 20d connects the lower end of passage 28e with the interior of the valve body to which the delivery pipe I6 is connected. ,A second duct 20e communicates with the middle of passage 20c and with the interior of the valve body connected to the tank I5. The upper end of passage 20c is closed by a removable plug 26 which has a duct 26a through which Iiuid under excess pressure in the bonnet may flow. Ball valves 21 and'28 in passage 20c are urged to close ducts Ziloland 26a, respectively, by a coil spring 29.

My construction relieves fluid pressure lin the l bonnet and thus prevents failure of the valve. When the pressure in the bonnet becomes excessive, it will unseat ball valve 28 so that fluid flows through duct 26a, passage 20e and disdelivery .line Iii. When pressure in the line becomes excessive, ball valve 21 is unseated so that fluid may enter passage c through lateral duct 20d and discharge into tank l5 through lateral duct 29e. As soon as the line pressure is sufficiently relieved, spring 29 will seatball valve 21. f

In a valve construction, there areY usually only two places in which sufliciently high pressures are developed to rupture the valve body.` One of these is in the pipe itself and the other is the valverbonnet. `It is apparent that I have provided means for` relieving pressure, both in the lirie and bonnet land for returning the expanding fluid to the storage tank.` e

Referring `new rto Figs. 5 through, 9 wherein is shown a double plate type `of gatev diskY 30. The inner surfaces of plates 3laand-30b have essentially triangular'pocketsc which retain the conical head 3la., of a ste'm3f|., The'sides the gate is lowered to close the: valve, `stem 3| abuts against a boss in the valve body and urges ofthe. pockets. This action preses the plates stem 24 above the annular collar 24a. This type of gate valve is conventional in the art. When the gate is in a raised position, fluid enters the bonnet22 and when the gate is lowered this The plates 30d` gate valve is closed, fluid in the storage tank I5 is prevented from entering the delivery line '|6.

Another type of gate disk is shown in Fig. l0. This disk, designated by the numeral 31, is identical with disk except that the central web portion 31a is much'thinner having relatively deepV recesses on both sides thereof. A valve 38 vvcontrols the flow of uid through the duct 31h in web 37a and a valve 39 controls the flow of fluid through duct 37C extending radially through the relatively thick outer portion 31d of the gate disk. A passage 38a through valve 38 registers with port 31D and is normally closed by a spring When y fluid is trapped in the bonnet and in the space between plates 39a and-38h.

In, order to relieve-pressure in pipe line IS and in bonnet 22 when a valve of this type is used respectively. v v p Y Duets 32h in one end of the housings communicate with portsf3De. Duets 32e in `the opposite in housing 32 normally closes duct 32h. A spring loaded ball valve r35 in the housing 32 normally closes duct 32e. Thus, fluid under excessive presloaded valve 49. A passage 39a in valve 39 registers with port 31C and is normally closed by a sp1-ing lcadedball valve 4l. The gate is positioncd in the Valve sorthat valve member 38 is on the `side connected to the delivery line l5 and va-lve member 39 is on the side connected to storage tank l5. v v v Excessive pressure in the pipe I6 will unseat valve i6 and permit fluid to flow through passage 38a and duct El?) into the storage tank. Excessive pressure in the bonnet 22 will unseat ball valve 4! and permit iluid to flow through duct 31 and passage 39a also into the storage tank.

It may thusbe seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a gate valve that operates in the conventional manner and which is uniquely constructed to relieve excessive pressures both in the delivery line and in the vbonnet of the valve. My construction will cbviate breakage of the valve due to expansion of fluid trapped either in the delivery line or in the valve.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: Y l. In a gate valve of the type comprising a body provided with a fluid passage having inlet and outlet ports, a bonnet surrnounting the body and communicating with the passage, and a gate movable across the passage between the inlet and outlet ports so that fluidv is trapped in the bonnet when the gate is closed, the improvement comprising a pressure relief means carried bytheV gate for relieving pressure fromone port. and a second. pressure relief means for relieving presjsure from the bonnetto said other port.

2. In a gate .val-:e oi the type comprising'a body provided with a duid' passage having inlet and fout-let ports, a bonnet surmountingl the body and communicating with the passage, and la gate.

movable across the passage so that uid is trapped in thebonnet when thegate is closed, the iml fromonefport 'to the otherport, vand a second lends of the housings open into the space between `the plates. Plate v,30a-is on the delivery pipe side of jthe'valve and plate 36h is onthestorage tank side of the valve. A spring loaded ball valve 33 outlet ports, a bonnet surmountingthe body and communicating with the passage, and a gate l movable across the passage so that fluid is trapped in the bonnet when the gate is closed, the improvement comprising a pressure relief means carried by the gate, said means including a duct which opens into the bonnet and through each side of the gittata4 valvewin the duct adapted to be opened by pressure intheA bonnet, and a second valve in the duct adapted to be opened by pressure in the passage at one side of the gate.

4. In a gate valve of the type comprising a body provided with a iluid passage having inlet and outlet ports, a bonnet surmounting the body and communicating with the passage, and a gate movable across the passage so that fluid is` gate, and a bonnet communicating with the space between the disks, the improvement comprising a duct through each of the disks, `and valves controlling the ducts, one of the valves opening in response to pressure at one eide of the gate to discharge the pressure into the space between the disks andthe other of the valves opening in response to pressure inthe space between the disks to discharge the pressure to` tliebthei' side of the gate.

6. In a gate valve of the type having a body provided with a fluid passage having inlet and outlet ports, a bonnet surmounting the body and communicating with the passage, and a gate movable across the passage so that fluid is trapped in the bonnet when the gate is closed, the improvement comprising a duct extending through the gate, a valve in said duct' adapted to relieve pressure from one side of the gate to the other side of the gate, a second duct in the gate connecting the bonnet with said other side of the gate, and a valve in the second duct adapted to relieve pressure from the bonnet to said other side of the gate.

PAUL E. MCMURRY. 

